PIP rates, Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, explained
What PIP pays, how Universal Credit housing costs work, and who the benefit cap hits. Written like a knowledgeable friend, not a government form.
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View all guides →Universal Credit Explained Simply
Universal Credit replaced several older benefits with one monthly payment. Here is how it actually works, in plain English.
Read guideThe Benefit Cap: Who It Hits and the Exemptions That Lift It
The benefit cap quietly limits what a non-working household can receive — but a modest amount of work, or the right disability or carer award, switches it off entirely.
Read guideHow Much Is PIP? The Rates and How Components Combine
PIP has two components at two rates each — so an award means one of eight possible weekly amounts. What each pays, and the extra help an award switches on.
Read guidePension Credit: The £4,000 Top-Up a Million Pensioners Miss
Pension Credit tops low retirement incomes up to a guaranteed level — yet a huge share of eligible pensioners never claim the average £4,000 a year it is worth.
Read guideHousing Benefit Explained
Housing Benefit has largely been replaced by Universal Credit, but it still applies in specific situations. Here is how it works now.
Read guideThe UC Health Element: Claiming When Illness Limits Work
If health limits your ability to work, UC has an extra element and lighter conditions — behind a process with steps you must trigger yourself. Here is the path, including what changed in 2026.
Read guideNot sure what you might be entitled to?
Use the PIP rates checker or the Universal Credit payment builder to see how the published rates add up. We are not a full household calculator. For a personalised check across benefits, free independent tools like Turn2us and entitledto are the reliable starting point.